A quick update:

We currently have some appointment availability tomorrow & Thursday if you have anyone who might benefit from a timely booking.

Our next Saturday Styling Session is on 11th April & spots are already starting to fill, so please feel free to pass this on to anyone who may prefer a weekend option.

We were also recently featured in The Coalface & it’s a story we’re really proud of. You can read it here:

COMMUNITY GIFT: DRESS FOR SUCCESS | The Coalface

At Dress For Success women from every walk of life, from single mothers, to refugees, successful businesswomen or women who don’t have a place to rest their head, step through the doors not just seeking an outfit but a renewed sense of confidence.

Dress For Success is a worldwide organisation that supports more than 3,000 women into employment across NSW alone. The organisation provides a space for women to come in and find quality pre-loved clothing through a styling session.

Further to that Dress For Success also offers workshops and an online career hub – everything is completely free.

Newcastle-Hunter Operations Manager Kelly-Anne Kent said there is no judgement and no prerequisite.

“It can be for any reason. There is a misconception about who this service is for, often we have quite confident, experienced women come in here for assistance, you might be studying and need something to wear for placement, perhaps it’s something for a wedding or a funeral or a rental meeting.

“It doesn’t matter what the reason is, we are here to help and it is all absolutely free,” Kelly-Anne said.

The styling sessions are all run by volunteers and those same volunteers also run the workshops.

Carolyn Hands is the main workshop facilitator and said the workshops run for three hours and are open to absolutely anyone.

“We split the workshop into two sections. The first hour-and-a-half is about first impressions when you’re going for a job interview. We take them through lots of things including how to tackle what is typically the first question in a job interview – tell me about yourself. And then we spend an hour-and-a-half with them in the fitting room and they leave here with an outfit and a renewed sense of confidence,” she said.

There are about 40 volunteers including Geraldine Andrews who has been volunteering her time since the beginning.

“We are dressing women for life; we help them to be the best version of themselves.

“There are so many women who stick with me. I remember one who came in to find an outfit so she could attend a parent-teacher conference. Her child was embarrassed about her, she was living in her car which an astonishing number of people do.

“She came in, I styled her and I noticed she started to stand a little taller. She even started talking about what she wanted to say to the school, like she was rehearsing what she wanted to say. She was a changed woman when she left,” Geraldine smiled.

“We are free and we just want every woman to know this is here for them.”

Christine, another volunteer, spoke about some of her memorable clients including a young Syrian refugee who came in with just a suitcase, another was an Indigenous lady who came in with her granddaughter to find something to wear for an awards evening.

Each of the volunteers had amazing stories to share, and the biggest thing about each one was the confidence the women left with who had been styled.

The Newcastle team are always after donations of clothing including fresh underwear and bras, jewellery, shoes and accessories, which you can drop in at: 82-84 Belford Street, Broadmeadow Tuesdays to Thursdays between 9:30am–11:30am. They also hold a fundraiser twice a year called Fashion Frenzy. The next one is Thursday, July 30 starting with a VIP Night and then Saturday, August 1 is the $5 Sale Day! You can keep up to date with the details on Dress for Success Newcastle’s Instagram @dressforsuccessnewcastle Dress for Success is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with appointments at 10am, 11, 12pm, 1pm. You can book an appointment here: https://calendly.com/dfsnswact-newcastle-hunter/dressing-appointment The Career Hub is free to access here: https://dfscareerhub.org.au/ and has everything from courses on how to write a resume to how to negotiate your salary or present yourself for an interview.